The Happy Planet Index (HPI) is an innovative new measure that shows the ecological efficiency with which human well-being is delivered. The Index doesn’t reveal the ‘happiest’ country in the world. It shows the relative efficiency with which nations convert the planet’s natural resources into long and happy lives for their citizens. The nations that top the Index aren’t the happiest places in the world, but the nations that score well show that achieving, long, happy lives without over-stretching the planet’s resources is possible.

On the map, I'm really glad to see how well Latin America and Southeast Asia scored. Having lived and worked in both places, I can certainly attest to their being super-efficient at converting material goods to human well-being.

You never know what will take off on the Internet.... Last month, some folks on Hornby Island, BC in Canada put a webcam in a bald eagle's nest. Since then, there has been an EXPLOSION of viewers - now up to 2 million per day - watching the eagles and waiting for the eggs to hatch.

I find it pretty relaxing to watch. Now we just need to put a microphone up there for next year...

You know you are getting older when colleagues you consider friends and mentors start to pass away.

I was very sad this morning to hear from friends in South Africa that Dave MacDevette died on Friday while rock climbing near his home in Cape Town. Dave was founder and president of Empowerment for African Sustainable Development (EASD).

I first met Dave through my boss at IISD. They had worked together in Fiji 15 years or so ago. When I met him, he was doing a lot on African environmental information systems and state of the environment reporting. He and his wife Monika had a house in Nairobi and were both doing contracts with UNEP. I stayed with them there for a few days on my way back from a GKP meeting in Ethiopia and lent Dave a hand at a meeting at UNEP on developing a capacity building strategy. We had a great time talking about life, the universe and everything while having a drink on his deck and watching the monkeys in the trees.

One of the things I always admired about Dave was his commitment to young people - both his own sons and other young South Africans. When he moved back to Cape Town more full time a few years ago, he was very excited about being able to surf and climb with his sons. And he was excited about raising funds through EASD to support the ideas and research of all of the motivated young people he kept meeting in S Africa. It was through Dave that IISD was able to find first Chris Higgo and later Steve Vosloo to work with us on the Information Society and Sustainable Development project.

Dave will be very missed.

Anyone else concerned that Smurfs dying is more shocking to Europeans than real shots of African child soldiers? What have TV news and movies done to our senses of reality and horror?

I was shocked this morning to read the news of the assassination of Brother Roger, the 90-year old founder of the Taize Community in France. He harbored Jewish refugees during the Nazi occupation of France during World War II, then built the ecumenical Taize Community with a mission to reconcile all denominations of Christians and promote dialogue and peace. A mentally ill woman slit his throat with a knife during an ecumencial prayer service Tuesday night in front of approximately 2500 (mostly young) people.

Part of what hit me so hard about this was that on Tuesday, I was just looking at the Taize site for music to download and play on my computer during labour (whenever this baby decides to be born). I hadn't looked at the site in a few years, so I don't know why I ended up there on Tuesday. When I was a grad student in Oxford, I used to get up early a few mornings per week and go to the Anglican church for sunrise Taize services. They were always so quiet and peaceful with everyone singing along to the short repetitive prayers in many different languages. Growing up Catholic, I always loved the ones in Latin (e.g. Nada Te Turbe). Most of all, though, I've always been impressed with the Taize spirit of creativity, generosity and compassion.

It's sad to lose a man who has given so much to make that a reality....